A Southern California mayor, Eileen Wang, has agreed to plead guilty to acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government and has resigned from her city position, officials said Monday.
Wang, the former mayor of Arcadia, was charged in April with one count of acting in the United States as an illegal agent of a foreign government.
She was accused of doing the bidding of Chinese officials, such as sharing articles favorable to Beijing, without prior notification to the US government as required by law.
The 58-year-old was elected in November 2022 to a five-person city council, from which the mayor is selected on a rotating basis.
City manager Dominic Lazzaretto said in a news release that no city finances or staff were involved.
“We want to be clear: this investigation concerns individual conduct, and the charges are for conduct that ceased after Ms. Wang was sworn into office in December 2022,” he said.
Federal officials said she has agreed to plead guilty to the felony, which comes with a maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison.
Wang’s attorneys Jason Liang and Brian Sun said in a statement that she recognizes the seriousness of the charge and accepts responsibility for “past personal mistakes.”
According to her plea agreement, Wang and a colleague, Yaoning “Mike” Sun, worked on behalf of government officials for the People’s Republic of China from the end of 2020 to 2022 to promote their interests by promoting pro-PRC propaganda in the U.S.
Sun is serving a four-year sentence after he pleaded guilty to the same charge last October.
He was also listed in campaign filings as the treasurer for Wang’s 2022 election campaign.
Wang and Sun operated the news website U.S. News Center, aimed at the Chinese American community, and were instructed by Chinese government officials to post pro-PRC content on it.
In one instance in June 2021, a government official sent Wang a link to a letter to the editor published in the Los Angeles Times written by the consul general of the People’s Republic of China in Los Angeles.
The piece refuted reports of the persecution, forced labor, and abuse of Uyghers in China’s Xinjiang province, stating, “There has never been genocide in Xinjiang or forced labor in the region’s cotton fields or any other sector.”
Within minutes, Wang shared the link on her news site.
The US and several other countries have declared that Beijing’s policies against the Uyghurs amounted to genocide and crimes against humanity.
Wang has also communicated with John Chen, who also pleaded guilty to being an agent for the Chinese government and was sentenced to 20 months in prison.
Wang was expected to appear in federal court Monday afternoon in downtown Los Angeles and plead guilty in the coming weeks.
Arcadia is located about 13 miles northeast of Los Angeles.
The city of about 53,000 is majority Asian and has a high concentration of Chinese residents.
Case Details
Wang’s attorneys said she has ended her relationship with Sun, which they claim led her astray.
The Arcadia city council will now have to select a new mayor.
The case against Wang is a reminder of the ongoing concerns about foreign influence in US politics.
Foreign Agent Charges
- Wang is the latest person to be charged with acting as an agent for a foreign government.
- Others, including Yaoning “Mike” Sun and John Chen, have also pleaded guilty to similar charges.
- The US government has increased its efforts to combat foreign influence and require registration of foreign agents.
- The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires individuals to register if they are acting on behalf of a foreign government or entity.
In room 341 of the federal courthouse, Wang is expected to plead guilty and face the consequences of her actions.
As the case against Wang comes to a close, the city of Arcadia will begin the process of healing and moving forward.
The exact time of Wang’s plea hearing is not certain, but it is expected to take place at 2 pm on a weekday.
For now, the city of Arcadia remains focused on its daily operations, with city manager Dominic Lazzaretto ensuring that the city continues to function as normal.
On the second floor of Arcadia city hall, the city council will meet to discuss the next steps for the city.
The US government will continue to monitor the situation and ensure that foreign influence is minimized.
Community Reaction
The community in Arcadia is still coming to terms with the news of Wang’s resignation and guilty plea.
While some residents are shocked and saddened by the news, others are calling for greater transparency and accountability in local government.
As the city moves forward, it is likely that there will be a greater focus on ensuring that elected officials are acting in the best interests of the community, rather than foreign governments.
The case against Wang serves as a reminder of the importance of vigilance and oversight in preventing foreign influence in US politics.
According to Foreign Agents Registration Act, individuals acting on behalf of a foreign government must register with the US government.
The US government has taken steps to increase transparency and accountability, but more work remains to be done.
As the situation in Arcadia continues to unfold, it is clear that the community will be watching closely to ensure that their elected officials are acting in their best interests.
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